September 2017 43

Less pain

Less pain is on the list of benefits of meditation. Just ten minutes a day of mindfulness meditation may reduce the need for painkillers by improving pain tolerance and decreasing anxiety levels, according to new research out of Leeds Beckett University. The study included 24 healthy university students who were randomly split into a control group and a meditation group. Participants were asked to put their hand in warm water for two minutes before removing it and placing it into ice water for as long as they could stand.

They then either sat quietly for 10 minutes or meditated before doing it again. Both groups performed similarly the first time around, but the participants in the meditation group saw a decrease in anxiety about pain and a higher pain threshold and pain tolerance on the second go. ‘These results do show that a brief mindfulness meditation intervention can be of benefit in pain relief,’ says Osama Tashani, PhD, Senior Research Fellow in Pain Studies at Leeds Beckett University in Leeds, UK, in a news release. Holding hands with your partner can also help quash pain.

On August 24, Victoria’s Secret officially announced the lineup for its annual fashion show. This season, 59 models made the cut to walk the runway in Shanghai, China, on November 28.

Victoria’s Secret’s 14 official Angels – including favorites like Adriana Lima and Candice Swanepoel – will be joined by 16 newcomers and 29 returning models. While Bella Hadid is one of the latter, it’s unclear if Kendall Jenner will be back on the runway. And out of the newcomers, viewers should keep an eye out for promising models like Aiden Curtiss, Frida Aasen, and Xin Xie.

While fans count down to the fashion show, here are the models who have been confirmed to walk the runway.

Having trouble finding a date? It wouldn’t hurt to work on your opening line. Or upgrade your wardrobe. Or get a better haircut. But it may also be that you’re just in the wrong locale: When it comes to finding a date and a great place to take them, not all cities are created equal. Some don’t have many single folk to begin with; others don’t have a lot of fun bars or restaurants to entertain you and your date (if you find one).

To help figure out the cities with the best singles scenes, we pulled data from the U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, WalletHub, and more, determining which metropolitan areas have the most dating spots per capita, the highest percentage of singles, and more. Together, these numbers show where the best singles scenes are and thus which cities are the best for dating—some are what you’d expect, but a few will probably surprise you.

Watch your back

In line at the grocery store, I’ll hold my phone like I’m looking at the screen and snap your card as you’re using it. Next thing you know, I’m ordering things online—on your dime. If you lose your wallet, take these 10 steps to stop identity theft.

ON GUARD ONLINE

If you haven’t thought much about how to stay safe online, it’s high time — especially after the massive hack of the consumer credit reporting agency Equifax, which may have compromised 143 million people’s Social Security numbers and other personal data. Many experts say identity-theft services such as LifeLock, with their pricey monthly fees, aren’t worth the money and do little to help prevent data theft in the first place. But many online safety steps are common-sense and free, or nearly so, whether they guard against opportunistic thieves hoping to make off with a credit-card number or sophisticated cybercriminals holding your files for ransom.

Don’t assume it’s out for everyone

Before you go into a panic, check your circuit breaker to make sure your power outage isn’t just an overloaded circuit. If that’s not the issue, start checking with your neighbors and nearby friends, keeping in mind that since most towns operate on a grid system, you may lose power while the houses across the street still have it. Knowing who’s got power will help you figure out your next steps.

When you’re shopping for a bargain, sometimes the dollar store is a great place to snag deals. In fact, you might be tempted to spring for items simply because they cost a dollar. After all, what do you have to lose?

The fact is, some dollar store deals can be a terrible buy if you don’t know what you’re getting into. Sometimes you’ll compromise on quality or safety, and sometimes even $1 might not be the best deal for what you get. Read on to see which dollar store items you’re better off without.